


It's Christmas Time

by LordDWH



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Kissing, Micah Bell Being an Asshole, One Shot, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:00:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28363542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LordDWH/pseuds/LordDWH
Summary: Nora, Lem and the Gang celebrate Christmas.
Relationships: Lemuel Fike/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 1





	It's Christmas Time

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't canon to my fanfic 'Despite all this, I still love you'.

"And you got Dutch of all people to agree to this?"

Hosea gave her a simple nod as he hid the remainder of small gifts in the back of Arthur's wagon, hidden amongst the ammunition he had set up. For most walking by it appeared as if they were simply restocking supplies instead of hiding gifts to exchange in the coming days and it was exactly what Hosea needed them to think. "He's allowing us to throw a small get-together."

"And who's dressing up as Saint Nick? Heard you had arranged that too."

"Bill originally but he refused, so I'm either thinking Uncle or Swanson."

Nora frowned at the remaining suggestions. "Are those really the last two options?" She hoped he'd say no, that those two weren't the only choices left but he could only reply to her with an apology. "Arthur could do it but he's been doin' it for the past three years."

"So we don't wanna bother him with this again."

"Exactly, Miss Morgan." He replied.

She looked over at the scout fire where Kieran sat, telling a story to Jack who listened intently at the tale. She couldn't hide the smile on her lips as she watched from afar and Hosea needed to bite back on his teasing.

"We could ask Kieran to do it.. boy hasn't dressed up as St. Nick yet." Hosea suggested while he joined in on watching the exaggeration in his movements as he began to act out the story to Jack. "Seems like he'd enjoy it."

"He's enjoying whatever he's telling Jack right now."

Hosea let out a light chuckle. "He is, yes."

"You could go ask him. I gotta grab some presents for Mary-Beth and Tilly."

"Yes the necklaces, you've not got any yet?"

She shook her head. "But Saint Denis surely has some."

He furrowed his eyebrows as she mentioned the city, thinking she would most likely be getting herself involved in some sort of trouble so close to the holiday. But when she noticed his concern she raised her hands dismissively. "Don't worry... I ain't gonna do somethin' illegal so to speak. I know a guy an' that's it."

"Just be careful, Nora."

She gave him a gentle smile before walking over to the hitching posts where the horses were, digging through the snow for grass and finding only mud. She had hay ready in her hand for Casper, who looked tired when she called for him.

"One last errand for a while boy, don't you worry." She spoke softly to the horse while she fed him and Micah snorted at the easy tone she would speak to the lesser creature in. She ignored the man, which provoked him to tease further.

"Say.. while you're out Nora why don't you try and find less of an attitude to come back with."

"Sure an' I'll find you a whole new personality too, Mr. Bell." Her witty responses weren't so well planned when she was cold and frustrated, so her attempt to annoy him wasn't as well illustrated but enough to get him off of her back for a while.

She tightened the girth of Casper's saddle before mounting up and riding out towards Saint Denis.

* * *

The door pulled open and in a rush a man walked out, colliding with Nora on the path as he tried to walk out of the Saint Denis markets. She fell backwards, landing on the stone pathway which prompted a small yelp as a reaction.

"Shit.. sorry." He apologised and immediately she recognised the voice. She looked forward and when their eyes met he quickly hid his hand behind his back to stop her from seeing what he had on him.

"What are you doin' here, N-Nora?"

"Should ask you the same." She replied, grabbing onto a flower pot to pull herself to her feet. She rubbed her lower back with her left hand, using her right to help Lem stand.

"Quite comical that we both fell." She mentioned and he hummed in response. "So what are you doing at the fence anyway, Lemuel?"

"Buyin' something. You?"

"The same really.. picking up necklaces for Mary-Beth and Tilly, as a gift you see."

"That's sweet."

She nodded gently, finding conversation awkward after not seeing him for many weeks. He too felt the same way, awkwardly whistling to divert them from silence. "Are y-you busy after?" He asked.

"Not really."

"Perhaps you'd like to go for a drink? Maybe Rhodes since I ain't so keen on Saint Denis." He offered and she gave him a light chuckle at the suggestion. "I would like that very much."

"Good."

He waved goodbye as he departed from their conversation, making haste and leaving Saint Denis as soon as possible. Nora would linger on the step outside of the fence, watching the general direction in which he walked to hold onto what ghost was left before finally prying herself out of thoughts and letting herself into the shop.

* * *

"You changed your clothes." She stated as she sat opposite, taking note of the white shirt and black pants as opposed to his usual blue shirt and red vest get up. The man frowned and folded his arms as he leaned back against his chair. "No, 'how are you?' what a conversation starter."

"Sorry.. guess I got so familiar with seein' you wear that one thing."

"Oh no, no." He smiled. "I was jus' messing with you."

"Where have you been these past few weeks?"

Lemuel looked ashamed after her question and avoiding her eyes from there. "I used to love the s-snow growin' up." He changed the subject.

"Me too." She sighed. "It's real pretty."

"Yeah." He brought a glass of whiskey to his lips, taking a long drink of it. "What are you plannin' for Christmas?"

"Hosea been plannin' a party. Havin' someone dress up as Saint Nick for young Jack an' we're gonna exchange some small gifts."

"That sounds real lovely."

"You got somethin' planned that day?" With her question he looked more glum than ever. He hesitantly turned to face her, giving a gentle smile. "Not really."

"You gotta come celebrate with us then."

"I don't want to intrude."

Nora leaned towards him, grasping both of his hands with her own. He almost flinched at the contact, not expecting it but eventually warmed into the touch "Nonsense." was all she needed to say and had been enough to convince to spend Christmas with her and that strange lot back at Clemens Point.

"Would you like to go for a walk?" He asked. Nora had thought about it before nodding. Following from this, Lem grabbed his jacket from his chair and threw it on, ready for the snow outside and freezing temperatures.

* * *

"How did your date go, Mon Ami?"

"It wasn't a date or whatever, Marcel." Lem replied, this annoyance in his tone of voice. The Frenchman had to stifle a laugh as he resumed making his moonshine, watching as Lem searched throughout the small basement. 

"What are you lookin' for?"

"That bracelet I gave you, for Nora, where is it?" Marcel didn't answer and so Lem tried again, asking for the gift he trusted his friend to look after while he was away.

"I don't have it." Marcel finally replied, turning away so he wouldn't have to personally face the younger man.

Lem gasped, this anger building up inside of him as he wasn't able to replace the gift as he had spent the last of his money to purchase it. Marcel could feel the shift in mood and frowned, a string of curses being repeated in his mind that had been directed towards him. "Where is it M-Marcel?"

"I don't know." The man answered, he was honest and it crushed him to have lost something so important to Lem. "I put it on the shelf an' when I came back, it was gone."

"I don't have nothin' else to give her."

"I am sure that you will find something." It was Marcel's best attempt at comfort but it didn't do anything to help cheer Lem up. "We got two days until Christmas a-and I haven't enough money to b-buy a replacement."

"I am sorry, Lem." Was the last he could offer. Fike couldn't say anything else and left the basement in haste, slamming doors behind him as he marched outside. 

Maggie curiously walked down to talk with Marcel, a scowl present at her nephew's behaviour. "What was that about?"

"I, er, I lost a bracelet he bought for Madame Morgan."

"How the hell did you manage that?"

"I.. I don't quite know."

Maggie shook her head, placing her palm against her forehead. "Well, I s'pose we should find a replacement then."

* * *

Kieran scratched at the fake beard of straw he was forced to wear, finding it rather uncomfortable against the skin. He wasn't sure why Hosea made him shave but he was certain that after this he would most likely never shave again, no matter the consequences. 

He wore an old coat of Bill's, red and much too big for him. The way his belt hung loosely around his waist had elicited a chuckle from Nora when she first saw the costume and Kieran almost called it quits if it meant that the other's was going to laugh at him.

"Thank you for doin' this, Kieran." She said in a low whisper, fixing the white scarf draped around his neck for additional warmth. "It weren't nothin'."

She gave him a low smile before walking away to join the other's around the fire, whispering to Hosea that he was ready to be brought in. The older male clapped his hands together to grab their attention, when each member had looked at him he began making up a short story on how he was to be leaving now for the rest of their celebration, much to the gang members dismay.

"Stay old friend." Dutch tried to convince, but Hosea wouldn't listen.

As he left camp following the path, Lem Fike had entered and on the way he apologised to Hosea for the late arrival and that Nora invited him to join. "Trust me, you're right on time." Hosea spoke in vague terms, waving him goodbye as he went to fetch their St. Nick.

"You made it." Nora cheered, running from the campfire and wrapping her arms around the man in an embrace. He was taking back but slowly reciprocated, allowing her to take his hand and drag him back over to join the others. 

"Of course I made it." He whispered but averted his attention over towards Hosea who let out a rather loud cheer. "Look who I found while out there." The second leader announced as he brought Kieran into the camp once more.

Most the men had trouble disguising their laughter at how ridiculous they found the get-up, but the women and Jack looked on with awe at 'Saint Nicholas'.

Kieran didn't know what to say, only standing there with an awkward look in his eye and so Hosea took lead and called over Jack with the wave of his hand. "Told Santa would be back again."

"Yeah." The boy spoke so softly, a little shy at seeing this mysterious being. When Kieran saw the bright smile on Jack's face he softened up and became far more confident as he took on the role of Saint Nick himself, instead of being regular Kieran Duffy.

"I have a gift for you, Jack and a gift for everyone else. Would you like to help me give them out?" Kieran asked and Jack nodded enthusiastically. 

Hosea called everyone over and slowly they all began to line up in the snow, waiting for their gifts to be exchanged. "This first gift is for.. Abigail." Kieran read the scribbled name our loud and the boy approached his mother with the item in hand. She took it with thanks and tore into the paper, smiling as she pulled out a box with a very pretty ring inside. 

"For Miss Gaskill." And Jack took it over, giving the gift to the person intended.

Time went quickly as they exchanged gifts and Lem felt guilty for not having anything to give so he could participate with their celebration. Soon the bag was empty and Kieran or "Santa" could be escorted out of camp by Hosea, waving his farewells to everyone.

"Come with me." Nora whispered, taking Lem by the hand and walking with him over to the beach so they were alone for five minutes. Mary-Beth watched with a small smile as they felt, elbowing Karen to grab her attention. "Look at them, ain't they cute?"

* * *

"Sorry I didn't take part.. felt a r-real fool out there."

"You were invited last minute, ain't your fault." She dug into her satchel before pulling out a small item wrapped in cloth. 

"For you." He took the object from her hands and gently unwrapped the cloth. When he took the gift from it's wrapping a bright smile appeared on his face for she had brought him a small wood carving of a moonshine bottle. "Did you make this?"

"Kinda.. Cripps did most the work. Apparently, he knows wood carvin' an I wasn't gettin' the hang of it."

"It's lovely. Thank you." He gently placed the gift in his pocket but his moment of joy was short-lived when he remembered his lack of a present for Nora. "Unfortunately, I don't have nothin' for you."

"You don't have to buy me gifts, mind."

"I-I know.. I bought a bracelet from Saint Denis a while back for you, but trusted the wrong person with it."

"What happened?"

"Marcel lost it."

She let out a small giggle and nodded, holding onto her friend's hands with a small smile. "Can I tell you somethin'?"

"Sure."

"My best gift this year is spendin' it with you, Lemuel. Nothing could beat that."

"Can I kiss you?"

She was taken back by his request but couldn't deny that she had thought about doing the same thing for a long time and so slowly, with a genuinely happy smile, she nodded.

His head tilted to the side as he leant forward and gently her lips were captured in a kiss, her heart beginning to race faster with the gesture. Time around them seemed to slow down and while she stood there, with her arms wrapped around his neck she thought that this, this was her best Christmas yet.

**Author's Note:**

> Created this short fic for Christmas, hope everyone enjoyed reading it. Was a bit late, I know and I apologise for that.


End file.
